Bead lock



July 2,5, 1944. 1. E. HALl 2,354,437

BEAD Loox Filed Sept. l1, 1941 I4 ATTORNEYS x y I l5 K I v K \\\\\\\\\\\l v. 4 @MKV with the tire run annees.

Patented July 2.5,. 1944 luNrrrzD STATES Panam OFFICE 2,354,431 y James E. Hale, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Tire t Rubber Company, Akron, hio, a corporation of Ohio ApplicatlonSeptember 11, 1941, Serial No. 410,458l

(Cl.y 152-400) for forcing the outer vertical faces of the beads 3 Claims.

This invention relates to bead locks for tire and rim assemblies, and more especially to bead therewith, even when the 'tire is under-inflated or else completely deflated. A

When a pneumatic tire is mounted upon a conventional tire rim of the type that is substantially cylindrical and has a removable flange or side-ring on one edge thereof, it is obvious that the inside diameter of the tire beads must be somewhat larger than the bead seat diameter of the rim in order that the tire readily and conveniently can be applied to the rim, or removed therefrom, by the simple act of telescoping the tire beads over the rim. g Y

In the driving of a motor vehicle, or in the braking thereof, the turques producingthe change of motion ofthe vehicle must be transmitted through the tire without resulting slippage or creeping of the tire relatively of the rim. With properly inflated tires there is sufficient lateral pressure against the vertical faces of the tire beads to assure obtaining suillcient frictionall contact between the outer lateral faces of the tire beads and the tire-rim-flanges to resist said slippage or creeping.

It is possible to computethe forces developed by the lateral pressure of the vertical faces of the tire beads against the rim flanges and demonstrate that if the pressure is adequate there is no need of auxiliary means to provide the' driving vor traction force, or braking resistance for the ilated, then the absence of laterally outwardly directed pressure against the beads results in an absence of suiliclent friction between the outer vertical walls of the tire beads and rim flanges suiiicient to translate the said tractive and/or braking forces. vSince such conditions are not of infrequent occurrence, it is desirable that supplemental means be provided for urging the tire 'beads outwardly into tight frictional engagement When a circumferentially divided wheel or rim is used, it is possible to form tapered bead seats thereon that positively engage with the radially inner surfaces of the tire beads and provide a force which resists relative rotational movement between the pneumatic tire `and the rim or wheel mounting same even though the tire is deilated.

However, even with such rim or wheel constructions. it is necessary to provide positive mean into frictional contact with the ,rim or wheel flanges to insure against relative rotational move- 4 ment between the tire and the means mounting same under all operating conditions.

Attempts have been made'to provide pneumatic tire and rim assemblies that can be operated, even though the pneumatic tire thereof is deated, without causing rotation of the tire relatively of the rim, and without pulling the tire oil' the rim. Such assemblies generally 'involve the use of some type of an Iannular elastic compression member which is carried within a tire on the wheel or rim, and adapted to exert pressure upon the` beads of `a mounted tire to force the same laterally against Athe rim flanges. However, such continuous compressible members are costly. and are made-from a mass of rubber, or similar composition, which may be diicult to obtain, or which may be diillcult to insert in a tire, or which' may heatup excessively in use.

. sembly, which bead lock effectively retains the tire beads in xed relation to a tire rim, and

overcomes the vaforementioned disadvantages of prior'art constructions.- f

Anotherl object is to provide a bead lock strucn ture adapted for use with standard flat base tire -ofairwithinthetire.

' rims that have either a continuous or a discontinuous removable side ilangethereon ordinarily received in a gutter formed in one margin of the yrim base, or for use -with circumferentially divided rims or wheels.

Still another object is to retain a pneumatic tire ton a tire rim* so that the tire beads are held in xed torque transmitting contact with the rim flanges regardless of thevolume or pressure A further object of the invention apparatus for locking pneumatic tire beads in place and making the vehicle mounted on such tire maneuver-able even though the tire is deiiated.

Another object is to'devise a bead lock which may be inserted.in.a tirev with faculty, even s ol though the tire casing and beads are made so is to provide l fication proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a bead lock embodying the invention, as mounted in aspneumatic Vtile and rim assembly, the tire and rim being shown in section;

Figure 2 isa transverse section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1; and v Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 1 3 of Figure l. v

Referring to the drawing, a rim or wheelilI of any desired construction is shown on which is mounted anr endless annular bead lock II which is channel shaped in section. as shown'in Figure 2. The bead lock il has a local diametric region or lportion I2, I2 of reduced. outside diameter which portion is 'formed =by removing chordal 'i segments of both arms of the channel II on par- -allel planes that are tangent to the base of ythe channel. In some cases, otherlregions of the channel, arms, or other shaped .sections of the arms may be removed to facilitate inserting the bead lock in a tire. Intermediate the reduced diameter region of the channel member II, a circumferentially directed,` outwardly' extending r'einforcing rib I3 is formed in the base of the channel. This reinforcing rib I3 is interrupted adjacent each ofthe regions I2. i2, as indicated Y in Figure 1.

Figure 2 best shows that the rim or wheel Il is circumferentially divided and includesla rim base I4 to which an annular side ring Il is secured to complete the rim assembly. Preferably, the rim I Il has tapered bead seats Il and l1 so lock is placed within a tire, then the tire and tube assembly, with the bead lock therein, can be telescoped over the rim base Il before the side ring I5 is applied. Finally the rim side ring is placed on the rim base and drawn into proper position thereon by bolts 22 whereby the inner vertical faces ofthe beads of the tire I8 are forced against the channel member Il by the rim flanges. Or, conversely, the-channel member II forces the outer vertical faces of the tire `beads into tight frictional engagement with the rim flanges so that the tire is positively held on the rim regardless of the amount of inflation of the tire. In some cases, it may be desirable to use a special construction in making the tire Il, which construction varies from standard practice in that an eiltra layer or ply may be secured to theinner surface of the tirein order to strengthen same and enable the tire to support its normal load without excessive deflection whereas standard tire constructions collapse completely if loaded when not inflated.

What is claimed is; v

1.,A bead lock for pneumatic tire and rim lassemblies, said bead lock comprising an annular which has dia-metrically opposed` regions whereat the arms of said channel have chordal segments removedtherefrom, said member having an outwardly directed longitudinally extending reinforcing rib formed thereon intermediate the rethat the radially inner portions oi' the beads `oi' a are la carried on the rim can be positively` gripped by the rim. I flap I9, made from rubber or rubberized fabric, .maybe carried on the outer surface of the channel member I I in order to protect a. tube 2| positioned in the tire I8.

The annular channelmember II is positioned .between the beads of the tire Il by first inserting one portion of the channel member, intermediate the reduced diameter region thereofbetween the beads of the tire Il. Then the member'v II,is

progressively worked between the tire beads with the reduced diameter section I2, I2 being of such length as to facilitate such positioning operation. Obviously, the tube `2I and A.thenap Il are positioned within the, tire Il vbefoxe'the channel said bead lock comprising an endless member' which is channel shape in section with the arms of the channel extending outwardly from the member, said member having chordal segmentsof the channel arms removedfrom diametricaily opposite regions .of its periphery so as locally to reduce the outside diameter ofV the member to facilitate inserting it between the beads of a tire,

lsaid member being adapted to force the outer yertical'faces of tire beads into contact with the ilangesof a rim on which the member and a tire are mounted substantially throughout their en-v l tire,extent.

member Il lsinserted therein.

JAMES E. HALE.- 

